History of Yamaha Motor Company

If you’re looking for an amazing motorcycle, ATV, or personal watercraft, Yamaha may be the perfect place to start your search. The Japanese motorsport giant started as a piano company, but today it makes a diverse range of vehicles, but all their products share a few qualities: versatility, power, and intelligent design. When you need uncompromising performance and reliability, Yamaha is the right brand to choose.

So how did a piano manufacturer grow into one of the largest and most trusted powersports companies in the world? Read on to find out. When you need a new motorcycle, ATV, or personal watercraft, stop by Woods Fun Center. We’re located in Austin, Texas, and we proudly serve the areas of New Braunfels, San Marcos, and Round Rock, Texas.

The Early Years

Yamaha is one of the most legendary powersport manufacturers in production today, but motors and gear weren’t always the company’s forte. Originally, Yamaha Corporation was founded as a piano and reed organ manufacturer. The company continued to make musical instruments through the late 19th and early 20th centuries until 1953 when the fourth generation president, Genichi Kawakami, decided to branch out into small engines and motorcycles. During this post-war time period, many manufacturers around Japan were starting to convert their war-time production into new markets, such as motorcycles and automobiles.

Motorcycle Development

The first Yamaha motorcycle, the YA-1, was released in 1955 under the newly formed branch of the company called Yamaha Motor Company. While many motorcycle manufacturers experience missteps with their early products, Yamaha found almost immediate success with the YA-1, which began placing in major national races. This racing heritage would continue to influence the designs of Yamaha products through the company’s existence.

After the initial YA-1 success, Yamaha released the YA-2 in 1957, which improved on the YA-1 frame and suspension. The YD-1 increased the engine size from 125cc to 250cc. Throughout the later 1950s and into the early 1960s, the racing success continued for Yamaha Motor Company, and by 1964, they were setting up their first overseas subsidiary in Thailand.

In the early years, Yamaha had focused all of their attention on two-stroke engine designs, but in 1968, they released their first four-stroke design with the XS-1. This design would gain even more traction in the 1970s with the release of the XS-750. This era saw much larger cylinder displacements along with multi-cylinder engine layouts. Yamaha continued to find success with bikes like the XS-1100 and the XT500.

Yamaha Today

Today Yamaha produces numerous types of motorsports vehicles, from motorcycles to ATVs to side by sides and even snowmobiles. Their legendary motorcycles are currently divided into three groups: Dirt, Road, and Tour. In the world of Dirt, Yamaha makes numerous motocross bikes such as the YZ450F, as well as a selection of dual sport bikes that easily transition between pavement and dirt. On the pavement, you’ll find the cruiser class which combines style and power. The Stryker, Raider, and Bolt are all popular models. Nothing channels the company’s racing heritage quite like their line of supersport bikes, of which the YZF-R1M is the leader. Finally, if you love touring bikes, nothing compares to the transcontinental touring line. Check out the Star Venture or Star Eluder for modern features mixed with classic styling.

Yamaha makes a wide variety of amazing motorcycles, but you’ll just have to ride them yourself to feel the performance. Stop by Woods Fun Center today to see them. We’re located in Austin, Texas, and we proudly serve the areas of New Braunfels, San Marcos, and Round Rock. Give us a call to set up a test ride or stop by today!